Progress-focused

Climate change, economic inequality, mass animal suffering, and the decline of biodiversity are some of the most pressing issues of our time. Yet, many people don’t feel a strong day-to-day urgency to tackle them, despite their massive scale and the abundance of information about their consequences. How can it be that these problems are so vast and well-known, yet individuals often feel hesitant to take action? New research by Eskreis-Winkler et al. (2024) provides an explanation through their concept of the Big Problem Paradox.

I a recent Youtube video, Robert Reich gave an explanation for Trump’s victory. He pointed to systematic problems in American society, such as economic inequality, and said that Trump “gave voice to the anger” of the American people. I agree with many things that Reich said, as I generally do. But to say that Trump gave voice to the anger of the people while the Democrats failed to do that, may not be accurate, or at least not complete. Let me explain.

  Self-explanation is an effective learning strategy that promotes deep understanding. The process forces learners to actively organize information, make implicit assumptions explicit, and identify gaps in knowledge. In their recent study, Atir and Risen (2024) examine how subjective knowledge—confidence in one's understanding—affects the willingness to use explanation as a strategy. This research sheds light on the barriers learners face when applying effective strategies and how to overcome them.

Many people aim to change aspects of their personality, such as becoming less anxious, more open to new experiences, or more assertive. International research shows that 60% of the world's population actively tries to influence personality traits like neuroticism or extraversion. But how do you change something as seemingly fundamental as your personality? A publication by Clifton and Crum (2024) offers a fresh perspective. They argue that our most fundamental beliefs about the world play a crucial role in shaping how we think, feel, and act. These so-called primal world beliefs may be a significant factor in sustainable personality change.